


I think

by LucyLegacies



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Lizzie thinks she has a girlfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:26:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22747792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucyLegacies/pseuds/LucyLegacies
Summary: Lizzie can't stop thinking about how Landon supposedly took down Malivore by himself; except that maybe he didn't.It's only logical that the reason they all have memory gaps is because someone they knew was swallowed by Malivore and Lizzie is sure that this someone is her girlfriend.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman
Comments: 44
Kudos: 238





	1. The missing girlfriend

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, guys. I had this idea this week and started working on it. I intend to make it with only 3 chapters. Please stay with me.

"I think we forgot my girlfriend." Said Lizzie to her friends; they stared back as if she had grown a second head. They didn't understand, of course. She should start from the beginning.

"Okay, I know I look like a crazy person but ever since Landon supposedly took down Malivore" Lizzie side-eyed him. "that I have been feeling this thing in my chest like- I don't know, I can't explain." None of them said anything. She looked at Landon's face and she knew that he also found it hard to believe that he took Malivore down by himself. Her sister was worried about her, Lizzie could notice. "We already know that Malivore erases people from collective consciousness so logic dictates that the missing piece of it all is her." She wished they could see the logic too.

"Okay, Lizzie, it is quite logical if we think about it but why do you think we forgot your girlfriend?" Josie asked with concern.

Lizzie didn't know how she knew it. She just knew. "I don't know, it's just like if I had lost the most important person. I see her face in my dreams sometimes but I never can quite remember when I wake up. I can feel my arms wrapped around her and my magic swirling in anticipation for her's. I can't remember anything but I can ghost remember the feelings she made me feel. And the thought that I know her my whole life."

"Wouldn't you have photos, letters, gifts, and god knows what from her if the two of you were dating?" Said Penelope from across the table. Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, genius, but if she was a witch, and I'm pretty sure she was, she could have made a spell to make all evidence of her disappear too. And before you ask why would she want to be forgotten I don't know the answer. That's actually why it took me so long to talk to you guys. I don't know how could she do that. Haven't I loved her enough for her to think that I was worth staying for or at least let evidence of her life here so we could look for her and fight for her?" Lizzie's voice was breaking at these last words. Josie took her hand.

"Lizzie..."

"No, Jo, you don't need to believe me but please trust me." Josie smiled at her.

"I do believe you, Lizzie. But why do you think that she chose to jump in Malivore. Maybe someone threw her there and made her stuff disappear."

Lizzie thought about it for a moment.

"No. She was the kind of someone to make stupid decisions like jump in a hell-hole." Lizzie said with a sad smile.

"Okay, Lizzie, I trust you and if your girlfriend is in trouble we're going to help her." Said Josie.

"Yes, damn, we will. Maybe if this girl comes back your snarky humor eases up a bit and I can actually talk to you for more than five seconds without wanting to murder you." Penelope said with fake annoyance. Lizzie appreciated her help here.

"I'll help. I also need to know what happened that day." Said Landon.

"I'm in." Said MG, Kaleb and Pedro.

"So what do we do now?" Josie asked Lizzie and everyone turned their eyes at her. Lizzie had no idea but if she had to guess she would say that they should start studying how Malivore works. "Well, since we don't know much about Malivore, I say we should start to learn more about how it works. Is it like a prison word? Another dimension? We need to know if we're getting her out of there."

* * *

_Three months_. Hope looked at the date written on the paper in front of her. She had spent three months in Malivore. She wanted nothing more than to go to her friends and she was about to when she felt something in the air. She looked around searching for the source of the feeling. It was just in the corner of her eye; a hazy figure that made her feel a coldness overwhelming her body. It only lasted 2 seconds and after it she couldn't feel the monster anymore; she assumed that it was a monster, after all she was Hope Mikaelson and she couldn't have a free pass for just one day. But the monster was gone and she had no way of finding it. She decided to just go to the school already to see her friends. They wouldn't remember her, she thought, so she would have to convince them to help her find a way to bring their memories back.

When she got to gates of the school her heart was beating in an alarming rate.

Her time in Malivore made her realize that she should just stop pushing people away. She learned that opening up and letting Landon, Raf, MG, Kaleb and the twins in was one of her best decisions. Her heart jumped at the thought of the twins. Josie, that even though she was dying still managed to put on a brave face and let Hope go save Landon. And Lizzie, Hope felt herself blushing, as stupid as it may seem, just thinking about Lizzie. Her best friend, Hope could say that for sure. After being kept apart for years, they were just starting to be friends and yet Hope's feelings for her felt ancient, as if it was always meant to be. As if the skies and the earth and the stars knew they were supposed to be together, to be friends, to be each other's safe place and nothing would never change that. Not Hope's childish attempts at keeping the twins and everyone away; not the hate that Dr Saltzman felt for Hope's dad; not even the lie Josie told when she 13 and scared of their bond.

Hope made a deal with herself then: she would never push people away again. She would let them in and get to know her. That's why she started running towards the house, towards her friends and towards love and acceptance.

* * *

After Lizzie and the team spent an entire day studying and trying spells and failing every time, they were wasted. They hadn't found anything helpful and they've been doing this for 2 weeks. Lizzie could see their determination and beliefs turning into doubts and pity and that was making Lizzie regret telling them about _her_ every day.

"Let's get out." Said Penelope suddenly. "Don't look at me like this, Lizzie, we're all tired and in need of some feeding. Let's grab some food in the kitchen and eat it outside to clear our minds. We'll work better after."

Lizzie hated to agree with her but she was right. They were tired and hungry. Lizzie just noded, knowing that if she said she didn't want to go, her friends would stay in the library studying because they were too scared that she would have another episode like the ones she's been having lately. MG and Kaleb went to the kitchen and Josie and Penelope went to pick up some blankets. After they left, Landon came to her.

"Wait, Lizzie. I just wanted to tell you that we're going to find something. I also feel like she was important to me and I want her back too. If you ever want to talk about her, you can come to me."

Lizzie felt the need to roll her eyes, like some muscle memory thing but she refrained herself from doing it. He was trying to help.

"I just miss her. And it's so weird because I don't actually remember anything. Everything I feel is a supposition. _I think_ she was super stubborn and I would roll my eyes at her all the time. Just yesterday I had this crazy craving for some beignets and I actually never had them before so _I think_ she liked beignets. But I could be wrong in all that and I hate it so much." Lizzie felt the tears coming so before she could cry her life out in front of Not Angry Bird she just left the library. As soon as she stepped outside she collided against someone. She was about to say something when she looked at the stranger. Something snapped inside of her. A vein? A bone? She couldn't tell. An episode! That was it. She was having one right now. She took a deep breath. The girl, probably a new student, didn't need to see Lizzie's outburst. So Lizzie just took another deep breath.

"Hey. Are you a new student? What's your name?"

* * *

Hope tried. She really did. After running to the school to search for her friends and find _her_ that easy was a blessing. But something was wrong. She could feel Lizzie fighting some inner demon right in front of her and then take two deep breaths before talking to her. She tried to ignore the pang she felt at Lizzie asking her name.

"I'm- I'm-" Hope tried to say her name but nothing came out of her mouth. She tried to say something else entirely. "I just came from M- Ma-" Again she was physically prevented from talking. She felt that coldness again. The one caused by what she supposed it was a monster back in Mystic Falls Square. Everything clicked then. Malivore had sent a monster to prevent her from telling her friends and family who she was. That's why she couldn't say a word about it.

Lizzie was still looking at her expectantly and a bit like she wanted to run away.

Hope could hear, quite clearly, Malivore laughing. She was this close to her friends and yet she couldn't tell them who she was and what they were to her. That was a whole new level of pain. Hope swallowed down the bitterness. She had made a deal with herself that she would let people in. So she would do just that; let them in all over again. She could do this while trying to hunt down the miserable monster that took away her truth. And then kill it.

"Yes, I'm a new student. My name's Andrea."

"Well, welcome to the Salvatore Boarding School, Andrea. I'm Lizzie."

And maybe getting to know Lizzie all over again while she hunts the monster will be funny.

"And this weird nerd face here is Landon." Hope's eyes snapped to Landon's face just besides Lizzie. She was so focused on the blonde that she didn't notice him.

"Hello, Andrea. Nice to meet you."

"Hello." And Hope was teary eyed because in front of her were her best friend and her boyfriend. She blinked the tears away.

"Are you okay, Andrea?" Lizzie asked her and Hope was amazed that even not knowing her Lizzie was still able to sense when she wasn't feeling well.

"Yeah, it's just that everything is new here and I don't know what to do next."

Hope told her the truth because she wouldn't lie to Lizzie.

"I know how it feels. But here... Here you'll have an opportunity to find your way." Said Landon. Hope loved him for being so good and kind but... She looked at Lizzie again. She was able to convey all that Landon had just said and more with just her eyes.

"Thank you." She said looking at Landon again. "I guess I'll be seeing you guys around then. Bye" She was about to turn around and go find a way to enroll in the school before they found out she was lying when Lizzie called her.

"Wait, Andrea. I guess I could give you a tour and introduce you to my sister." She offered and how could Hope say no?

"I would like that very much."


	2. I got it all wrong, didn't I?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope starts to notice that her friends are hiding something.
> 
> Lizzie just wants her girlfriend back.
> 
> I suck at summaries. Bye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, guys. I'm really proud of this chapter. A lot happens here and I really hope you like the ending of it. Just one more till the end now.

Lizzie had no idea why she offered to take the girl on a tour. She only knew that she looked extremely lost and Lizzie's heart immediately thought about her girlfriend, also lost in a figurative and literal way. Lizzie had this feeling that if she could help this one person everything would be okay and she needed things to be okay. Lizzie was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Landon talking to her.

"Lizzie?"

"Yes?"

"Should I tell Josie to join you?"

"No need for it. I can show her the school and then I'll meet you guys outside to introduce her."

"Okay." Said Landon and Lizzie knew he wanted to ask something.

"Spill, Frodo."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Landon whispered to her taking care that the girl, Andrea, wouldn't listen. Lizzie almost killed him right there just for fun. She had noticed, of course. Because of her recent episodes, her friends were reluctant to let her be alone for as much as 10 seconds. It was freaking annoying. As if she hadn't dealt with it for the past 4 years. But Lizzie didn't say anything to them. The same way they were cautious around her, she was also cautious around them. The truth is that she was afraid she would say something that would make them decide it was time to stop looking for _her._

"Do you really need me to answer this question?" Said Lizzie disgusted and Landon at least had the decency to blush a little. Good. Embarrassment fits him well. Lizzie gave him a fake smile and turned to Andrea, who was making a terrible job at pretending not to pay attention.

"Let's go. We're going to start by..."

* * *

Hope was paying attention, of course. The whole Lizzie/Landon interaction was extremely weird to Hope. There were the constant insults from Lizzie's side, of course, but there's also something new. A fresh understanding, a bond that was created while Hope was away. _Without her._ She wanted to know what happened. He even asked Lizzie if she wanted him to tour with her. Hope knew Landon would do anything to be as far as possible from Lizzie because she was always mean to him. But that was _before_. Before Hope was swallowed by Malivore; erased from existence. Hope wondered what more had changed in her friens dynamics.

This was the first time it really hit Hope that she would have to start from the beginning. She would have to fit all over again. Because she knew her friends; knew their best parts and their difficulties. But just looking at them right now she could see changes. Lizzie looked more jumpy and stressed; on the verge of screaming. Landon looked more insecure than ever and a little bit scared. Hope wanted to get to know them all over again.

"And Josie and I found the Old Mill when we were 11. Since then we've been throwing parties there all the time."

Lizzie kept saying stuff Hope already knew and something was making Hope feel anxious, uneasy. She looked around and finally understood why. She was being followed.

"Ignore him." Lizzie said when she noticed Hope looking at the stalker. "He thinks he's being subtle but he's actually doing a very good job at looking like a clown." She rolled her eyes.

"Why is he following us?" Hope asked ignoring how dumb Landon looked trying to sneak on them.

"He's scared that my twin will burn his ass if he leaves me alone." Lizzie said rolling her eyes yet again. _So this hadn't changed,_ thought Hope.

"Why? Are the two of you-" Hope started asking. Because, really, she had to take this doubt out of her shoulders.

"Ew. No." At least Lizzie still finds Landon disgusting. Not that Hope should find this relieving. Yet she did.

"I have a girlfriend." Stated Lizzie and Hope needed time to process what she had just heard. _A girlfriend? Since when does Lizzie Saltzman does girlfriendism? Who is she? Is she someone Hope knows?_ Hope had a lot of questions but she couldn't ask any of them without looking like a creep. So Hope asked things that social interaction permitted in this type of situation.

"Does she attend Salvatore too?"

"Yes."

"What's her-" Hope was interrupted by Lizzie.

"Enough asking. Now it's your time to answer. Where are you from?"

Hope thought about lying but what was the point? She would try to tell as much truth as this monster that prevented her from telling it permitted. "New Orleans."

"New Orleans." Repeated Lizzie a little disturbed by Hope's answer. She watched a lot of emotions cross Lizzie's face. Loss, fear, curiosity and, surprisingly, hope. "I think- I mean, my girlfriend is from New Orleans too." Said Lizzie with a bright smile. Hope almost got knocked down by the intensity of Lizzie's happiness. She really loved her girlfriend. Hope felt _something_ at the bottom of her stomach. She didn't want to dive in the _something,_ though. She was pretty sure that when she finally decides to dive in _it,_ something extraordinary will happen and that'll make her collide with rocks that will break her into tiny little pieces and she'll have to rebuild herself again into something new. She was scared of it.

* * *

Lizzie looked at Andrea. Whe she said she was from New Orleans, Lizzie's heart felt whole for one second. She knew that New Orleans was special for some reason. It only took her a moment to realize why. Her girlfriend was from there. She was sure of it. She wanted to scream and dance and laugh because she had just learned something new of _her._ All because of Andrea. She felt a bond forming between them. Maybe Andrea was just what Lizzie needed: a fresh look on the whole picture; someone that didn't know anything about it could definitely help them to point out a missing piece. But before Lizzie could spill her beans all over Andrea she would have to get to know her a bit. She was definitely hiding something; Lizzie could notice by the way she avoided her eyes. She was also in so much pain that Lizzie wanted to hug her. Lizzie also got this feeling that she could trust Andrea. Why? She had no idea but she decided that she would let her in. She just knew, in the bottom of her soul, that Andrea would help her bring _her_ back.

Lizzie smiled at Andrea. "Well, would you like to meet my friends now? I promise they're cooler than that outgrown porg following us." Said Lizzie with blinding smile.

* * *

Again, Hope's decision was made for her. How could she say no to Lizzie smiling at her like that? Lizzie was still waiting her answer.

"Yeah, of course. But what's a porg?"

Hope noticed a light blush take over Lizzie's cheeks and she knew Lizzie was going to say something geeky by they way she got all shy.

"It's a bird thingy from Star Wars." Said Lizzie kind of embarrassed. Hope was amazed by how she missed Lizzie. Suddenly, Hope remembered a 8 years old Lizzie playing with a light saber pretending to be a jedi. She loved Star Wars. Anything adventurous, if Hope's memories were reliable.

"So you're a Star Wars kind of girl, huh?" Said Hope teasing Lizzie and regretting of it 2 seconds later. It came out like a flirting move and Hope was definitely not flirting with Lizzie. Hope panicked for a moment. _For god's sake, Lizzie has a girlfriend, Hope._ What was she gonna do now? What should she say?

Landon, proving again why Hope loved him, chose exactly this moment to come out of hiding and save Hope from dying of self-embarrassment.

"Hey, girls, I was just going to meet our squad. Lizzie already showed you the school, right? So we could go together."

"Yes!" Said Hope too eagerly and Lizzie looked at her as if she had horns and a tail. Landon didn't even notice the awkwardness.

When they finally met the others they were lighting up a bonfire.

"Hey, Jo. Let me introduce you to Andrea. She just came today to Salvatore." Said Lizzie.

"Oh, hello, Andrea. I'm Lizzie's twin, Josie."

It was too much. Lizzie, Landon, Josie, the others. It was too much and Hope was in the edge; just one push and she would fall. She needed to be alone right now.

"Hello. It was a pleasure to meet all of you." Said Hope after everyone properly introduced themselves. "But I'll just head back to my room. I'm really tired."

"Okay, Andrea. I can't imagine how is everything going for you but if you need help with anything you can ask me. I hope I see you tomorrow." Lizzie said and that hurted more than anything because, yes, Hope needed help but she had no idea how could she get it if she wasn't able to tell them the truth.

She ran away then. When she got out of Malivore, she knew no one would remember her but actually seeing it was worse. She just wanted someone to miss her, to feel like something was wrong without her. But everything was the same. Well, not the same; better. Josie and Penelope were doing great, apparently. Landon was laughing with MG, Kaleb, Jed and Rafael as if he didn't have one worry in the world. And Lizzie. Lizzie had a girlfriend, one that she loved so much Hope could actually feel the intensity of it as if it was directed at her. Hope wanted to scream and when she finally did she noticed that what came out was a howl. She had wolfed out without even noticing. She was crying now. It should be a hell of a vision: a big white crying baby wolf.

She spend the rest of the afternoon in the woods. When she finally snapped out of it, she had a new resolution: she would get her place in the squad back, she would get her room back and her friends back, and she would get frickin Lizzie Saltzman, her best friend, back. And with their help she would close that damn mud pit so hard that people yet to born would know her name for it. She was a Mikaelson, after all.

* * *

It was easily said than done, however. One week since Hope had come to the school and she started noticing things about her friends. First, they were hiding something. When Hope tried to sneak on them whispering, they just changed the subject. Second, they were treating Lizzie weirdly. They never left her alone. Every time Hope tried to have a moment with her, someone was there. Some were more subtle than others but Hope could notice and she knew Lizzie noticed too. Third, Hope had yet to see Lizzie's girlfriend. Apparently, she was out of town but Hope knew there was more to it.

Hope also started noticing things about herself. Not having to worry about Landon's safety all the time made her a little bit free. When they were dating she constantly worried that he would put himself in dangerous situations to prove himself, not just for him but for Hope. Not being in a relationship also made her realize how stupid she was sometimes. Landon is a phoenix. The whole job description is to come back from death. It made Hope realize that her worrying was less about him and more about her fear of losing people she loved. She had lost her family and that left an everlasting open scar on her heart. She was just now beginning to heal.

So as the days passed and she made an effort to be friends again with her friends, she was feeling hopeful. A bit frustrated too because the was bonding with everyone; the boys, Josie and Penelope and even Landon; but Lizzie. Lizzie proved to be hard to get. For the first time in her life, Hope understood how must've been for the twins all those years trying to get Hope to be their friend just for Hope to turn them down. Really annoying. Hope wanted to smash her head against the wall every time Lizzie rejected her invitations to hang out. Bullshit the whole 'ask me if you need something' talk. Hope rolled her eyes.

"You've been doing this so much lately that one day your eyes will get stuck." Said Lizzie. Hope almost jumped out of her skin.

"Sorry. I didn't notice you."

"Oh, I know. You've been spacing out for the past 20 minutes. I thought you said you would come to the library to study. It doesn't look like you made a lot of progress." Said Lizzie eyeing her 10% finished homework. Hope blushed.

"I was just thinking."

"Well, can you think on the move? I'm going to do something super dangerous and I really need your help." Said Lizzie and just now Hope noticed Hope's backpack in Lizzie's hands. "Oh, I took the liberty of breaking into your room to pick you some clothes. You're gonna need it." Hope had no idea what _this_ was all about but she had just learned that she wasn't able to say no to Lizzie, so she just took the backpack from her hands.

"What now?" Asked Hope.

"Well, it's Rafael's turn at following me today so it's not gonna be difficult. Just follow my lead." Lizzie started walking and Hope just followed her, all her books and homework forgotten. She followed Lizzie into the girls bathroom. There, she watched as Lizzie picked up her backpack from the corner and put a hand on Hope's shoulder.

"Now, I'm going to make an invisibility spell on us. Stay silent." Lizzie whispered the words of the spell and really, she didn't need to ask silence from Hope because Hope was so confused that she couldn't say anything.

They left the bathroom and Hope noticed Rafael waiting at the end of the corridor. She followed Lizzie out of the school and into the woods. They crossed it till they got to a stop. Lizzie muttered something then that made a red car appear out of nowhere.

"It was hidden by an invisibility spell too. Just like us." Lizzie said very confidently.

"Care to elaborate?" Said Hope to her.

"Oh, I will elaborate everything." Said Lizzie with an unnerving stare. "But we need to get out before they notice we're not in the lady's room."

"Okay." Said Hope throwing her backpack in the back of the car and sitting shotgun.

They drove for about 45 minutes until Lizzie broke under Hope's demanding gaze.

"Okay. I'll tell you everything. Since we're already away from there and I made sure that they can't track us, we have time to talk." Lizzie then entered one of the exit roads and parked the car. "By all means, ask away." Lizzie said waving her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Fort Valley." Said Lizzie looking right into Hope's eyes. Hope tried her best not to look alarmed. She knew all to well what lived in Fort Valley.

"Why?"

"It's the portal to Malivore; where Landon was found a little over 3 months ago. I never understood how he defeated it all by himself but that's the thing, I don't think he did at all."

"What? You think that Malivore is still alive." Hope knew for sure Malivore was alive, not that she could say a word about it. That damn pit made sure of it.

"Oh, I know Malivore's still alive and kickin' but that's not what I meant. What I meant is that I don't think Landon was responsible for the pit's little nap. As a matter of fact, I know that someone was there with him. Someone powerful enough to close Malivore; someone we forgot." Lizzie finished.

Hope wanted to scream ' _It's me. Please. I'm the one you forgot. Please remember me.'_ She tried, she really did, with all her willpower and soul but she failed. The monster was stronger than her and as long as it was alive she couldn't say anything.

Hope was so caught up in the route that the conversation took when Lizzie mentioned Malivore that she didn't notice that she needed to act like she didn't know much about it.

She opened her mouth, hoping that an excuse would come easily but it didn't. Lizzie was watching her closely.

"You're _her,_ right?" The way Lizzie said _her_ made Hope's body tingle in expectation. Maybe if Lizzie found out by herself Hope's suffering would end.

Hope only looked at Lizzie making sure to break down all her walls; letting Lizzie see her, see through her; inside and out, her whole. And Lizzie seemed to find what she was looking because she just noded her head and said:

"I don't know why you're not telling me or what happened but I'm going to fix it, okay?" Lizzie said letting a teardrop escape her eye. Hope raised her hand and wiped it. She looked again into Lizzie's eyes and said those words Lizzie had delivered her so long ago; the words that changed their relationship.

"I believe you."

The rest of the trip was quite. She would catch Lizzie looking at her and looking away when she noticed that Hope looked back. She knew Lizzie wanted to ask something. So when they got to where the portal was and they were about to get in, Hope held Lizzie's wrist.

"What is it that you wanna ask?"

"What do you mean?" Said Lizzie looking away.

"I know you wanna ask something. I could feel it in my bones all the way here. I know you, you know?!" Hope waited for Lizzie to answer her; knowing that Lizzie needed time.

"There's no point in asking. For some reason you can't answer my questions. I guess I'm just going to say it anyway. I wanted to know why. Why would you throw yourself in the pit? I don't remember anything but I know that you were loved. If not by anyone else, by me. Wasn't it enough for you to stay?" Lizzie said with so much anguish that Hope hated herself for making Lizzie feel like this.

Lizzies was right. She couldn't answer it. But not because some monster was preventing her of it. She couldn't answer because she was ashamed. She did it because she thought so little of herself that she thought the only way to pay back the sacrifice her parents made for her was also sacrificing herself. She did it because she felt alone and different and she was sure no one would feel her absence. But clearly she was wrong because Lizzie Saltzman was looking at her with such adoration and love in her eyes that Hope was taken aback. Someone really missed her. Lizzie missed her.

Then Lizzie did something that made Hope finally dive in those rocks she was so scared of: she kissed Hope.

Hope felt her bones tingle and shake. It was like the first time she turned into a wolf. The intensity of the sensation so strong that it physically hurted her. It was like diving head first into a giant rock and feeling all the bones in her body break. It was like lemon juice on an open scar. Hope's open scar. It wasn't beautiful, but brutal. It made Hope want to run and run and never stop long enough to be found. Just as Hope was thinking of doing just that, the sensation changed. After all, when you finally finish the transition and you finally get to be a wolf, everything changes. There's no pain or hurt anymore. Just freedom and untouched wild happiness. And that was what felt like kissing Lizzie Saltzman after all the pain went away: primitive, feral, natural.

Then Lizzie pulled back and looked into her eyes and Hope knew she felt _it_ too. Not how Hope felt and understood; no, that was Hope's experience and way of understanding only. But Hope knew Lizzie felt the same intensity and in her mind she understood; she was broken and pieced back together by the kiss just like Hope.

Lizzie took Hope's hands then. "Let's go fix this and bring those memories back."

Hope only noded and followed Lizzie.

They walked into the abandoned building and then Hope took the lead showing the path to Malivore. When they got there, Hope felt cold and scared of it; memories of her time there flooding her mind. Lizzie noticed and held her hand. "Don't worry. I'm going to protect you." Hope found so sweet that Lizzie said that even though she probably would just get the two of them in trouble.

"What do you plan on doing?" Asked Hope.

"There's this spell. Supposedly, it brings back what's lost so I'm hoping it will bring our memories back. Malivore is like a giant soup bowl. The memories of what it swallows stays inside of it. We just have to get it back. Hence, the spell. It's black magic and that's why I didn't tell any of my friends; they wouldn't let me perform it."

"And what makes you think that I'm going to let you?" Said Hope finding Lizzie's solution way too dangerous.

"Because we're girlfriends and equals and I really don't remember anything from our relationship but I think it was based on trust. Am I right?" Hope opened her mouth and then closed. How was she supposed to answer _that?_ They were what now? Girlfriends?

Lizzie took her silence as agreement and gave Hope a smug smile. "Now hold my hands. I'll need to siphon from you." Lizzie didn't wait for it, though. She just took Hope's hands and started siphoning immediately. She muttered some words; inaudible to Hope. Hope felt an urge in her magic then. The spell was doing something. Lizzie started screaming the words of the spell as if in pain. Hope looked at Lizzie's arms and saw rashes taking over it. Hope tried to stop the spell but it was too late. Lizzie said the last words of it and Hope felt magic hitting her and then Lizzie and spreading around the place. Just before Lizzie passed out she looked at Hope; the weight of the memories written in her eyes.

"Oh, god. I got it all wrong, didn't I?"

Then she collapsed in Hope's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And? What do you guys think? Please say something. Don't let me die without your approval or disapproval. Love you. Please don't hurt me.


	3. Lord of Rings ain't got nothing on us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lizzie and Hope adjust with the memories back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, guys, this is the last chapter. I really hope you love it. I know I did. And I cried a lot writing it because Hizzie just hits differently.

Hope looked at Lizzie's body. She immediately started to chant a healing spell. Lizzie's body responded by getting rid of the dark magic. The beauty of being a siphoner, Hope thought, was getting to choose what magic to keep and what to get rid of. Lizzie started vomiting black goo and after throwing up almost the whole Malivore pit out, she started healing herself. Hope's healing spell worked then, she thought relieved.

She caught Lizzie in her arms then and took her back to the car. They should go back as fast as possible to the school so the nurse could check on Lizzie. After putting Lizzie down gently and getting on the road, Hope finally started to piece things together. The way Lizzie asked if she was her and how she sounded delighted when Hope said she was from New Orleans and Lizzie responded by saying her girlfriend was also from there. Lizzie thought she was her girlfriend. Hope looked at Lizzie then and couldn't help but let out a little laugh. As soon as her laugh left her mouth she heard a groan.

"Oh, you're awake."

"I wish I wasn't." Was Lizzie's reply.

"Oh, come on. I didn't kiss that bad." Hope teased her and Lizzie groaned again, louder.

"I just wanna die right now. Can we please not talk?" Lizzie said looking outside.

"Okay." Said Hope feeling lighter than she ever felt. She could almost burst out laughing or dance away like a crazy person. It was a new feeling. She looked at Lizzie again and laughed. A real laugh. One that she didn't remember the last time she heard. And when Lizzie muttered under her breath 'please, if there's a god, may I be blinked out of existence?', Hope totally lost it. She had to park the car before she could kill both of them because of her negligent driving.

"Why are you stopping?" Asked Lizzie still not looking at her.

"Because I can't drive until we talk about it." Said Hope trying to control her heart. At the rate it was beating she would probably die in the next few seconds.

"Okay, then. Ad somnum." Said Lizzie and the last thing Hope saw before sleeping was Lizzie's beautiful eyes.

* * *

Lizzie was embarrassed.

The first night she slept a peaceful sleep since the night Landon came back from Malivore was when Andrea came to the school. At first Lizzie didn't think much of it, she was really tired. But then she noticed her magic swirling every time she got close to Andrea. She also felt that need to protect her. Lizzie was trying to decide how was the best way to approach Andrea about her missing girlfriend when she noticed the way she looked at Lizzie with longing, with care. Lizzie also noticed that she always tried to get Lizzie to hang out with her, even though she would always get a no since Lizzie was too busy studying a way to get her girlfriend back. It was on Andrea's 6th night at the school that Lizzie realized she was her.

_Lizzie was just walking back from her midnight sandwich. She had just poured out all her problems on little Pedro. Poor kid had to listen her rambling about her girlfriend and Andrea in exchange of a sandwich. Lizzie was that mean. When she was heading back to her room she felt a tug pulling her towards Andrea's room. When she got there she heard Andrea talking. Lizzie knew it was totally wrong of her but she couldn't stop herself from whispering a spell to hear Hope more clearly._

_"...and then Lizzie won't even talk to me and I'm getting crazy because it's almost 1 am and I'm talking to myself. Just one hug. Is it too much to ask, universe?"_

_Lizzie almost burst out laughing. Andrea wanted a hug from her so badly. But why if they only knew each other for 6 days. Then it clicked to Lizzie that Andrea appeared out of nowhere to the school. She never looked lost in the school; she always got all the classrooms right and that was almost impossible for a new student. She already knew the school._

_Lizzie was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost didn't hear Hope coming to the door. When the information sunk in Lizzie jumped and ran. But unlucky as she was, she tripped on her own feet and fell on her face. When she looked up she was faced with Andrea's curious gaze._

_"Are you okay?" She asked._

_"Yeah. I'm just sleepy." Hope held out a hand for Lizzie and when Lizzie touched Andrea, she knew she was her's. As soon as their skin touched, Lizzie started siphoning and the magic she felt coursing through her veins was known; as if Lizzie had spent her whole life siphoning from it. She looked at Andrea then. She was looking at Lizzie with expectation. It was her. Her girlfriend; Lizzie's person._

_Lizzie decided then that tomorrow she would perform the spell. She had found it in one of the black magic grimoires her dad had hidden in his office. She was reluctant in performing it because the effects would hit her sister too. But after feeling Andrea this close Lizzie had to try it. So she got everything ready. She hid the car; packed some clothes and went to sleep. Tomorrow she would get their memories back and no one would stop her_.

* * *

Lizzie watched Hope sleeping as she debated with herself whether she should get in the school already or just drop Hope off in the school's gate and run off to a place where she would never be seen again by her friends and avoid the confrontation post returned memories. Unfortunately, Lizzie didn't get to decide because Josie and the squad were running towards her as soon as she got out of the car. She sighed. She wouldn't see the end of it.

"Lizzie, you're back." Said Josie hugging her. "Are you crazy? How could you do this to us? Do you know how much you got me worried?" Said Josie hitting her in the arm and then hugging her again.

"I'm fine." Answered Lizzie avoiding everyone's eyes. Landon was the next one to speak.

"Where's Hope?" Lizzie's heart sunk a little at that.

"In the car. I did a little sleeping spell on her. She'll wake up within the next hour."

"Why would you do a sleeping spell on your girlfriend?" Asked Penelope smirking and bringing out that shit. Lizzie wanted to kill her or die; probably both. _Homicide followed by suicide_ ; that would be the police report.

"Shut up, Satan." Said Lizzie going past everyone and entering the school. She was just tired.

* * *

When Hope woke up she was in her bed. She looked around and the first thing that came to mind was:

"Where's Lizzie?"

"She's in her room sleeping. She was really tired after the trip and all the black magic." Landon answered watching her closely.

"Did the nurse check on her? Is she okay?"

"Yes, she is. The nurse gave her some kind of potion to help her get rid of the rest of the black magic. In the end she was just tired." Landon said.

"Oh, good." Said Hope relieved. It hit Hope then that Landon, her ex boyfriend, that just got his memories back was there. She eyed him then.

"I-" She tried to say something but the words wouldn't come.

"I'm happy you're back, Hope." He said.

"Me too." Hope felt the awkwardness in the air. Landon wanted to say something and since he was never one to shy away from sentimental talks he just said what was in his mind.

"Did you and Lizzie talk?"

"Pfff, when? When she passed out in my arms after performing the spell and almost killing me of worry or when I tried to and she spelled me to sleep the whole trip back?" Said Hope frustrated. Landon just noded knowing.

"You know, this whole thing really messed with her. Everyone was worried that she would end up hurting herself even more in one of her episodes?"

"What do you mean?" Hope's heart broke at the thought of Lizzie going through an episode alone and scared.

"She really missed you. There was this one night about 3 weeks ago that she woke up the whole school screaming during a nightmare. When Josie was finally able to wake her up, she was in tears and she had her body covered in little cuts. She didn't even notice until Josie pointed out." Landon said watching her and looking for something. He probably found what he was looking because what he said next resembled so much a break up that Hope felt like she was floating. "You two deserve to be happy. Go talk to her. She's probably awake by now and just pretending to sleep so no one will bother her. Turns out the sleeping spell she did on you lasted 24 hours."

"I've been sleeping for the past 24 hours? Oh, god." Hope got up then and hugged Landon. "Thank you for being here. I kind of wish I could, I don't know, just go back from where I left but I don't think I would. Sorry, I'm just really weird and-"

"I understand. You changed and I did too. I'm happy we're both alive and well. It's good that things changed too. I'll always love you, Hope. No matter what." He then kissed her cheek and left the room.

As soon as he left, Hope took a shower and put some comfortable clothes. After about 20 minutes she was knocking in the door of the twins' room. Josie opened the door.

"Oh, you." She hugged Hope. "I'm so glad you're back, Hope, even though I want to kick you in the head for jumping in Malivore."

"I'm happy to be remembered." Said Hope to Josie. "Is Lizzie still sleeping?"

"Ah, of course you wanna talk to her." Said Josie smirking, which made Hope blush. Josie whispered to Hope "She's pretending to be asleep. Good luck." Said Josie and then just walked out of the room and pushed Hope inside. She closed the door and left Hope there without knowing what to do. She decided to just play it cool and go to Lizzie's bed.

"Hey, sleepy head. I know you're awake. I can practically hear your thoughts crossing your mind and no, there's no way you can escape." Lizzie just groaned under the pillow. She looked so cute that Hope wanted to put this moment in a little box to safeguard it forever.

"What do you want, Hope?" Said Lizzie finally climbing from under the blankets and pillows and looking directly at Hope. Hope always liked Lizzie's way of standing up her ground.

"I just wanted to talk. And thank you for bringing me back."

"You were already back."

"No, Andrea was. And Andrea couldn't tell anyone the truth because Malivore made a monster stop her. Now that the memories returned I don't feel compelled to lie anymore so I think the monster's hold on me only lasted until I was still forgotten. Thank you for that too. For bringing Hope back. And for missing me."

Lizzie's soft smile made Hope's heart jump so high she thought it would come out of her mouth.

"Why, Hope?" Was Lizzie's only response and Hope knew what she meant.

"I thought that the only explanation for my parents' sacrifice was that I had a bigger role in something; destroying Malivore. I wanted so hard to understand why they died for me-"

"Hope-"

"No, let me finish." Lizzie only noded. So Hope continued to explain. "I couldn't believe it was just love. I mean- I knew they loved me. I just didn't think it was worth them dying for it. Jumping in Malivore was easy thinking like I did."

"Hope." Said Lizzie taking her hands in hers.

"But now I understand. There's so many people that love me and missed me and-"

"Now is time for me to stop you right there. You didn't get the point at all, did you?" Said Lizzie shaking her head in surprise. "It's not about anyone else. It's not about your family missing you or your friends feeling like shit without you here. It's not about me going crazy thinking you were my-" Lizzie waved her hand so she wouldn't need to finish her sentence. "The point, Hope, is you. It's about how you feel. It's about you thinking that you deserve good things and that you can rule anything like the goddamn Mikaelson that you are. It's about you saying the F word to Destiny, Fate or whatever shit trying to tell you what path you should follow. You're a wolf, Hope, and if I paid attention to any of the biology classes, and I'm pretty sure I did, wolves are territoral animals. They stand their ground. So just be a wolf and stand your damned ground." Finished Lizzie screaming and out of breath. If Hope wasn't already in love with her, she would've fallen in love during that speech.

She was speechless. Lizzie was right. Hope was way more than just a loophole or a miracle or whatever people thought of her. She was a person with likes and dislikes and feelings and fears. She liked to cook and to watch cooking shows. She loved her coffee just a little bit too sweet and she loved peanut butter blast with whipped cream on the bottom. She hated to be alone even though she tried her whole life to push people away. She liked hearing stories of old fashioned balls that her aunt Rebekah would tell and she loved listening to aunt Freya rambling about Nik's adventures. She liked when Landon would play the guitar to her and when Josie shared her homework because Hope was too tired to do her's. She loved every little part of her. Even the scary ones. It was as if Hope had lived as a slave her whole life and now she was finally free; not because someone freed her but because she broke her own chains. It was the best feeling she had ever felt. She realized it was happiness. Real raw happiness that didn't depend just on other people but on Hope. She was the cause of her happiness. There was still danger out there and everything could go wrong very quickly but right now, while things were calm, she was just going to be happy.

Lizzie seemed to notice that Hope finally understood because she hugged Hope and whispered in her ears.

"Motivational speech and all aside... I'm really really happy that you're back." And when Hope answered her back she was a whole new person and yet the same.

"I'm glad to be here."

* * *

"Now that everything is settled, can we talk about the whole-" Lizzie interrupted Hope before she could say it out loud.

"No, please."

"So are we just going to pretend like it didn't happen?"

"No, Hope. I am not going to pretend that I didn't spend the last three months and a half looking for some perfect girlfriend just to find your annoying ass in the end." Said Lizzie brushing the awkwardness away with a joke.

"Ouch" Said Hope smiling.

The truth was that she had absolutely no idea how to proceed from now. She obviously couldn't ignore everything and even if she could, she wouldn't. Ignore things wasn't a Lizzie Saltzman move. Owning it and coming out victorious was a Lizzie Saltzman move.

So she pushed down all the embarrassment and all awkwardness and all her wishes to be blinked out of existence; it was obviously not going to happen by now. She locked them in the little box in her head labeled _Reasons to Die that Aren't Actually Going to Kill You_ and then proceeded to open the other box in her head labeled _Pretending to be normal: an introductory course_. Inside of it she found the Lizzie Saltzman arsenal to be, well, Lizzie Saltzman. The first rule was to _always outwit everyone before they even have a chance to think_. So she did just that.

"Since I didn't find a girlfriend in the end of the rainbow I guess I'll just have to look f-" Lizzie got interrupted by Hope's lips. On her's. Doing kissing-like movements. In Lizzie's head, an emergency bell started to ring signaling that there was a fire in her brain. She could physically feel it; her head going hot. All of her little boxes containing a life's worthy of knowledge were being burned to ashes. Apparently the box named _Kissing Techniques_ was already lost because Lizzie just stayed there, wide eyed, while Hope kissed her. After Lizzie not returning it, Hope opened her eyes and asked:

"Why are you not kissing me back?"

And Lizzie couldn't answer her with a ' _I don't remember how'_ so she just did what her brain still was able to do: she turned on the run for your life mode and fled the room leaving Hope there as if she was contagious.

The last coherent thought she had before her brain was totally taken by the flames was that it was really a shame that she would never be part of a power couple.

* * *

Lizzie spent the rest of the afternoon blank headed looking at the lake. She had just now started to reorganize her brain again when Landon came and sit by her side. He said nothing and for approximately fifteen minutes they just watched the sun set.

"What do you want?" Asked Lizzie after taking a humiliating amount of time to formulate the question in her head.

"Just sit with you." He said.

"Okay. I'm totally buying it." Snarked her at him. _Oh, the Mocking Landon mode was still functional_.

He only smiled and Lizzie worried for a moment that his brain was taken by fire too.

"You know, Lizzie, I really love Hope and I think-"

"Nope. We're not going there. Not having this conversation with you." Said Lizzie cringing and closing her eyes; wishing that some lakey monster would just show up and swallow her right there so she wouldn't have to listen to him.

"Oh, yeah, we are definitely having this conversation because we both love Hope and we want her to be happy." Lizzie said nothing in return so he took it as a go sign. "She was my first love and it was pure and wonderful and it made me feel indestructible and vulnerable at the same time. The time she spent away from us not only changed her but all of us and it's not a bad thing, the change." He took a deep breath. "I don't want you to think that this is some kind of permission to go after her or something. It's more like a push from a friend that likes both of you."

"We are friends now?" Lizzie ignored the tears trying to escape her eyes.

"Weren't we friends before?" Answered him. "Now go talk to her. She spent the afternoon pacing in her room."

"Yeah, well, I guess I'll let her know all the shit she makes me feel."

"Ahhh, that's sweet."

" _Oooh, ahhh, that's how it always starts. Then later there's running and screaming_." Sighed Lizzie.

"I think- Hold on. Did you just quoted Jurassic Park to describe your feelings towards Hope?" Said Landon laughing and Lizzie really wanted to smash his head against something hard.

"Stop laughing at me. I'm the one usually doing the laughing."

"Okay, Lizzie. I'll just say it because it needs to be said: loving Hope made you soft." Said Landon getting up fast to avoid being killed by Lizzie.

"I'll never stop bullying you." Screamed Lizzie to a running Landon.

"I never thought you would." Screamed him back. After he left she smiled because he was right; loving Hope made her soft and she loved it.

* * *

Hope watched the scene from distance. When Landon went back to the house, Hope started to come closer to Lizzie.

"Hey." Hope said sitting beside Lizzie.

"Hey" She said smiling.

"So..." Hope said uncertain about the whole thing.

"I like you." Said Lizzie, a little blush taking over her face. "Like a lot. Like _drawing-little-hearts-around-our-names_ a lot. I like that you're brave and strong. I like that when you decide to use more than one brain cell at a time you're actually pretty smart. I like that you love to cook because I really hate it and am terrible at it. I like you so much that I would pretend to like cooking shows just because you like them so much, but again, I love you way too much to pretend anything to you. I love how you like your coffee disgustingly sweet and how you're a milkshake person. I hate that you spent our whole childhood pushing people, pushing me, away because I know how much you hate to be alone. I love how your eyes shine when the history teacher talks about balls and weird old traditions. I love that you used to keep a picture of your little cousin on your bedside. I love that you always fought my bitchiness back when we were enemies."

"We were never enemies, Lizzie." Said Hope laughing.

"Shut up. I want this to be an enemies to best friends to lovers troupe." Lizzie said also smiling.

"What are we now? A romance book?"

"You forgot about the monsters? This is a whole damn adventure book. Magical powers and deadly curse included, thank you for your time. Lord of Rings ain't got nothing on us, babe." Lizzie said smugly and all Hope wanted to do right now was kiss her senseless.

"If I kiss you again now, will you kiss me back or will you just creepily stare at me like you did earlier?" Hope asked and Lizzie blushed almost purple this time.

"Sorry about that. When you kissed me my brain melted and I had no idea what to do." Said Lizzie embarrassed.

"That's okay. But do you know what to do now?" Said Hope smirking.

"I can figure it out." Said Lizzie holding Hope's neck and pulling her. When their lips met, Hope's whole body sang the song of happiness. It was like almost drowning just to find out you can breathe underwater. Lizzie was right, Hope thought smiling. She interrupted the kiss.

"You're right, you know?"

"About which part? It's hard to keep track when you have a success rate of 99%." Said Lizzie teasing her.

"About you being terrible in the kitchen. You're a lost cause." Hope said laughing hard.

"Ouch, Hope. This is not the way you should talk to your girlfriend."

Hope felt a lot bubbles popping in her stomach. "Girlfriends, huh?"

"I already said I love you and your dumb smile screams I love you back so..." Lizzie looked at her expectantly.

"I love you." Said Hope making sure to let Lizzie know anyway.

"I already knew that." Lizzie said kissing her nose.

Hope was so happy. She wanted to call her family and tell them everything. She wanted to dance and to run and jump. Well, yeah, their story... Lord of Rings had nothing on it.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the end. I was so scared of doing a shitty ending that didn't fit the story but I guess I really got to the point of it. I hope y'all liked.  
> Please let me know in the comments. Like I said before I like to interact with you guys. 
> 
> I love you and an amazing week for y'all.

**Author's Note:**

> What do you guys thought of it? Please write bellow.


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